fluence of the liberator himself. This view
being confirmed by a resolution of congress, although it was not a
unanimous one, Bolivar decided to resume his functions, and he repaired
to Bogota to take the oaths. Before his arrival, however, he issued
simultaneously three separate decrees--one granting a general amnesty,
another convoking a national convention at Ocana, and a third for
establishing constitutional order throughout Colombia. His arrival was
accelerated by the occurrence of events in Peru and the southern
departments which struck at the very foundation of his power. Not long
after his departure from Lima, the Bolivian code had been adopted as the
constitution of Peru, and Bolivar had been declared president for life
on the 9th of December 1826, the anniversary of the battle of Ayacucho.
At this time the Colombian auxiliary army was cantoned in Peru, and the
third division, stationed at Lima, consisting of veteran troops under
Lara and Sands, became distrustful of Bolivar's designs on the freedom
of the republic. Accordingly, in about six weeks after the adoption of
Bolivar's new constitution, a counter-revolution in the government of
Peru was effected by this body of dissatisfied veterans, and the
Peruvians, availing themselves of the opportunity, abjured the Bolivian
code, deposed the council appointed by the liberator, and proceeded to
organize a provisional government for themselves. After this bloodless
revolution the third division embarked at Callao on the 17th of March
1827, and landed in the southern department of Colombia in the following
month. Intelligence of these events reached Bolivar while in the north
of Colombia, and he lost no time in preparing to march against the
refractory troops, who formerly had placed such implicit confidence in
him. But he was spared the necessity of coming to blows, for the
leaders, finding the government in the hands of the national executive,
had peaceably submitted to General Ovando. In the meanwhile Bolivar had
accepted the presidency, and resumed the functions belonging to his
official position. But although Colombia was, to all external
appearance, restored to tranquillity, the nation was divided into two
parties. Bolivar had, no doubt, regained the personal confidence of the
officers and soldiers of the third division; but the republican party,
with Santander at their head, continued to regard with undisguised
apprehension his ascendancy over the army, suspect